iGet Kidnapped
by sweetromance54321
Summary: This is Sam's point of view of a kidnapping. Both Freddie and Carly are kidnapped and it's up to Sam to rescue them. But is it going to be easy? Classic enemy's and old allies come into play and this story takes place way before Sam & Cat and around the time Freddie and Sam were still dating.
1. A Wonderful Day

iGet Kidnapped

Sam's the narrator:

her point of view

"Ugh…" I groaned lazily as my alarm blared in my ears. It was 6:00 o'clock in the morning and I was way too exhausted to get up at this point. Just the day before I had stayed up far after midnight messaging Carly on my phone about the next iCarly plans. I stumbled and fell on the floor safely landing on a pile of most likely dirty clothes as I tried to reach for the snooze button on my fancy new alarm clock that Freddie got for me last Christmas.

I couldn't and wouldn't move from the ground. I had been tired out and was prepared to stay in that position all day long. Just then I heard a buzzing coming from under my pillow and after a while of rubbing my sleep filled eyes with exasperation I realized it must be my cell. I pulled myself up and back onto my overgrown bed I have had since I was 6 and groggily tossed my pillow aside and jammed my phone up to my ear.

"Hello." I said in a mood I didn't even know I was in. I didn't even know who I was talking to until she cheerfully answered back.

"Get up Sam or you're going to be late for school!" Carly said in an overly joyful tone.

"How do you know I'm not up yet?" I said still too tired and annoyed to care what was coming out of my mouth.

"If I know you, I know you probably wouldn't actually get up until noon." She chimed in and added a little lighthearted laugh. I was getting my senses back a little and gave a little chuckle myself. Who ever said someone else didn't have an influence on your mood?

"I'll get to school soon Carles or rather would you like to ditch it with me?" I said as if I actually meant it. Which I would have if she accepted the offer.

"Stop fooling around you know you can't skip again, remember last time?" Yeah I did. I was bored out of my mind at school two months ago so I just left and skipped the last 3 periods of the day and I had detention for a week. Which wasn't so bad considering I'd have convinced Carly to come to my aid and stick it out with me but if I had to be in Mrs. Briggs classroom one more time other than during school hours, I think I would bite her head off.

"Yeah I'll meet you there." I mumbled and sighed defeated.

Now I would have stayed at Carly's house that night before but they ran out of beef and my fridge for once was loaded only considering the fact that my mom was currently dating a butcher. Man I do think she may have found the one. I mean the whole thing about his profession being in meat and all. That gave me some ideas about my own dream guy if only I wasn't already dating Freddie.

On my way out the door with a lambchop in one hand and my ipod in the other I was finally fully aware of my surrounding and no longer sleepy. Not even the least bit, the phone call really pulled me back to earth and the harsh reality that there was such a thing as school and homework. Though I rarely ever did my homework anyway it still sucked that they actually expected us to do more learning out of the torture chamber they call an education. I was already smart enough and could write a decent letter if I actually put my mind to it and had the need to, which I didn't and hoped I never would.

I walked through a neighbors yard trodding through their daisies and day lilies which was my secret shortcut to school instead of the normal boring route all the other kids took. Now that it was spring though, it wouldn't be a secret for long if I kept crushing and bending all these flowers.

I tried desperately to try and avoid all the plants that I could while still trying to keep a fast pace but it came to no use as I had already obviously killed many of them on the way though each flowerbed. I was I going to have to find an easier path next time. If I tried this again I would have more than detention to worry about.

I didn't even know the neighbor personally but no one who I did knew spoke kindly of her while few others called her a nasty old woman and a dirty cranky crow. I was just glad she was still asleep since I could hear her loud uneven snoring through the window next to her garden.

Who could think such a horrible lady, so they say, could grow such beautiful flowers? It was certainly a mystery but wasn't everything else in life the same way? Wouldn't it be more subtle if she just grew long ugly weeds to match her personality? These sort of things puzzled me but I never really cared to examine them too much since they didn't really apply to myself. It didn't matter anyways I had more important things to worry myself about like being late to school almost everyday just to endure long one sided conversations and meaningless discussions from the never ending row of poorly paid teachers.

I finally got to the school grounds and saw Freddie walking towards me with a happy grin on his face. Did everyone have to be in a good mood except for me? I waved to him and half smiled as I hurried to him as well.

"Well aren't you the one who's always late? It's the beginning of the last month of school and you are now thinking of being on time? So not like you." Freddy said and laughed kissing me on the cheek. I reached for his hand and we started walking into the building.

"Well there's a first time for everything Fredward." I said and giggled as he tickled me on the way to my locker.

"Aren't you two the perfect couple." Carly said eyeing us intently with a giant sloppy grin on her face.

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, "Whatever you say, now hows about you copy down for me the homework assignment and I'll let that comment pass." Carly laughed the same old classic way she always did.

"Same old Sam. Never getting her homework done. Good thing I already had a second sheet of it made last night just for you."

I just loved how she knew me "I just love how you know me." I repeated out loud and opened my locker up. "Do you have any ham?" I asked after a short pause of silence to get out my things for first period.

Freddy looked at me smiling as if he expected me to know the answer and then I turned to Carly putting on my best puppy face as I stared at her. Carly fished out her things for her first class too slamming her locker and glanced at me.

"Why would I carry meat products with me to school?" She asked as she dug out some pink lip gloss from her pocket.

"Well you should because I was already banned from smoking bacon in my locker last year." I replied shaking my body to exaggerate my hunger for something juicy even though I just finished my lamb chop in that garden I smashed up probably pretty badly.

"Well I'll see you two love birds in gym and don't forget we're rehearsing for iCarly tonight, and Sam don't be late." Carly indicated bubbly and full of energy for her favorite class, Science. Which I could never understand why she loved a class so much that wouldn't allow even a candy bar or a piece of jerky into.

"Don't call us that again and yeah I might see you if I don't get too sick of this and file out of here with annoyance. I'll keep you updated." I called out to her merrily on her way down the opposite hall Freddie and me would travel through.

"So shall we head to class milady?" Freddie said gesturing to his arm like a medieval gentleman. I hooked arms with him and swiftly said, "I'd be honored, but if you don't stop this act now I think I'll just cancel off our little date at the Groovy Smoothie." We both laughed on the way to English until a teacher spotted us and scolded us for being too rambunctious. Talk about kill joy. We quietened down a bit while speed walking past her and then giggled on the free passageway.

We hurried not be late to class or Freddie would be sure to complain about it later. Right now it didn't bother me though because I knew with him we wouldn't ever be tardy. I was already starting to have a wonderful day.


	2. It All Goes Down Hill

"Oh no," I yelped as I almost fell to the ground then stumbled to get to my feet. I shuffled out of my last period hobbling with textbook after textbook piled high in my two arms. I'm guessing teachers just give you these to carry around as another form of torture that you have to endure other than the mountains of hopeless homework that they expect the very next day. It's not like anyone actually learned anything from them except for how to mispronounce almost every five words you read. Not what I call a good way to spend your time.

As I got to my locker, barely staying on my feet, I opened it up and found a red note sitting casually on the top shelf. "What the-" I mumbled under my breath and quickly threw my textbooks on the locker floor. I grabbed the little card and read the printed text carefully.

_I am going to make you pay Sam!_

_- Your Enemy_

What was this? Why would anyone give me _this_? It was another mysterious thing I didn't want to know about or even think about. I had to call Carly because I would never be able to understand this as much as her.

I plunged into my book bag, that of course I would never use for books, and got a hold of my green glimmering cellphone. I dialed Carly's number frustrated and getting madder by the second. No one messed with me and everyone should have known that. It's not like someone would ever think of threatening me if they knew what I would do to them. If they thought I would get all nervous and shook up then they were dead wrong. They must not know me that well to think of the consequences of their actions and especially of mine.

I was so drowned in my thoughts I almost forgot about the phone call. The ringing stopped and it went to voice mail. "Come on!" I shouted out loud and threw my phone to the ground almost breaking it. I bent down to pick it back up and then noticed all my classmates staring at me. I laughed a little like it was all a big joke and stiffly shut my locker door about to head out. They all slowly turned back to their current activities and I let of a sigh of relief.

I hadn't seen Carly or Freddie since fifth period and it was getting strange that they didn't seem to be around. Not just that but Carly didn't even answer her phone which she always had turned on after school. They must have just been at Carly's house getting straight to work on the space themed iCarly episode this week. I didn't even see Carly at her locker but it was bound to be because I was taking so long getting there with those textbooks. Also since I had to stay after class because I kind of set off a stink bomb during the last period which the Health Teacher said was very rude of me. Believe me I could do ruder things than that and I didn't exactly even set if off that day. It was meant to go off on a later date instead, darn the properties of unstable science and hobo street sellers everywhere.

I was getting hungry and not only because the only thing to eat was mystery meat, but because I couldn't think on an empty stomach. Plus there was no mystery about the meat, I could tell right away it wasn't any normal meat that I have loved since I can remember, it was just better to steer clear of whatever those kid hating hairless lunch ladies would come up with to feed us.

I walked annoyed, taking the regular path on the sidewalk this time, straight to my house. I was told to meet at Carly's house right away but Spencer being Spencer probably was drinking ketchup or playing pack rat or something else weird instead of buying even a slice of baloney that I could eat. "Better first go home and snatch myself a t-bone steak from the fridge than continue to go on hungry," I muttered one block away from my home.

When I charged inside and to the refrigerator I saw a glimpse of my mom passed out on the couch. Nothing strange there. I opened the fridge to find it bare and groaned helplessly closing it with great force.

I left the dirty yellow stained kitchen that I swear was once white and I stomped to my mother's side. I nudged and poked her to get up but it was to no avail. I strode back into the kitchen and obtained a plastic blue bowl from a rusty cabinet and filled it with cold sparkling water. I went back to the couch and leisurely tossed the water onto my mother in an attempt to get a response. It splashed over her clothes and face as she abruptly woke up in shock.

"What the heck Sam!" My mother yelled at me as she recovered from her fright.

"Good, you're up, I'm glad I didn't have to get the blow horn this time." I said sitting down on the opposite seat from the couch and propped my feet up on the coffee table.

"What did you do that for I swear it was a mistake to ever have you…" She mumbled moving her hands in frantic gestures. She seized a ratty blanket she'd had for years and immediately secured it around her shivering body.

"Alright now that you are fully awake where is did all the food go!" I said calmly at first and then raised my voice at the last bit of the sentence.

"God Sam, why do you always have to be this way! We have no food, or meat for that matter because my butcher boyfriend dumped me a few hours ago and took all his meat with him. Not to mention slipped all of our other produce in his jacket. Sneaking Son of a..." She started to murmur things and went off into curses and unheard insults whispering insanely. She then sighed and closed her eye for a second trying to retain her thoughts and then shook off the overused blanket. After that she picked herself up and grabbed her keys unlocking the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked in an uncaring voice but still mad about the lack of food in my system. Not even a decent fat free fat cake in sight.

"I'm going to the bar, where else? Oh and wait a second." She said and looked around the floor for something. "Here it is, it's for you." She said picking up and handing me a white envelope.

I took it and stared at it confused because no one ever sent me a letter, not even my relatives in prison did. I shot my look back up to my mom but the door was wide open and she was already gone from my sight. She reappeared in my vision emerging from behind a giant bush that once blocked my view and then jumped into our filthy junky pick-up.

For a few seconds I stared numbly at the car pulling out of our driveway bumping into the neighbors fence twice and then smashing into our mailbox tipping it slightly over."She doesn't even have her drivers license back," I uttered while rolling my eyes.

I watched her swerve left and right and wondered how much worse her driving would be when she wasn't sober. I erased the thought from my mind of the limitless amount of police cars that would soon be hot on her trail and I finally headed out the door about to leave.

I clutched the envelope in my hand and went on my way to Carly's house. 'She is going to murder me if I don't get there soon' I thought as I strolled down to her apartment building.

As I was still walking I teared open the envelope I was holding and found a neatly written letter.

_Sam Puckett,_

_I sent this to inform you that your friend Carly has been taken and there is nothing you can do about it!_

_From: You Know Who_

I paused for what seemed to be an hour and let the whole meaning of the letter sink in and completely consume me. It was far more than the red noted threat. This was not a warning but a truth and a pretty bad truth at that.

"Oh no they didn't!" I spoke angrily walking in a faster pace. I stuffed the letter into my book bag and hurriedly retrieved my phone. I was too worried for Carly to dial in Spencer's number so I went to contacts and pressed Spencer's name. The only reason he was on my contacts list was because Carly put it there just in case I couldn't reach her and I bet if she was kidnapped the person who took her wouldn't be so kind as to let her keep her cellphone.

"Come on, pick up..." I murmured as no one yet answered the phone.

"Hey, Hey, Hey!" A sparky voice expressed.

"It's me Spencer is Carly there?" I blurted out wasting no time. No doubt she wasn't there but I had to still check anyway. There was a sudden silence on the phone and then I could hear a roaring fire in the background come out of no where. "Spencer is something going on over there?" I said exasperated waiting for a response.

"Oh My God, hey Sam, sorry but I can't talk right now my rooster sculpture I'm working on just caught on fire! Awww, stop gnawing at my masterpiece! I got to go, bye!" Spencer said trying to talk over the loud fire causing static on the line. I heard a few more yells from Spencer and some sprinkling of water, the smoke detector must have been activated, and then he hung up.

"What just happened?" I announced beyond bewilderment. I was near Carly's apartment and I jogged inside. There sitting at his desk was Lewbert in all his disgusting wort glory.

He saw me come in and his face cringed up in repulse. "Eww! I hate kids, get out of my lobby!" He said moving about in a crazy pattern. He was so weird and he loathed me and anyone else I knew but I sure didn't care.

"My friends happen to live here!" I said walking past him to the elevator. It was out of order so I lept to the stairs entrance and skittered up them. Lewbert was about the say something but I went up faster because I didn't want to get into any needless arguments at the moment.

When I finally got up to Carly's and Freddie's floor I instantly knocked on Carly's door. I saw Spencer look through the peephole seeing me looking straight back at him. Since he of course knows better than to not open the door to have me knock it down, he speedily unlocks it for me.

"Sam, hey I'm sorry but Carly's not-" Spencer began to say but I directly interrupted him.

"Yeah I know, that's what I was worried about and needed to talk to you about." I declared trying to make sense of all the current events that have happened so far. I rushed in and sat my bookbag carelessly on the couch. I reached in and snatched the note I found in my locker and the letter I got the recently. I shoved them in Spencer's face and he stepped back a bit.

"Whoah! Hey, what's going on, what are these?" He said confused taking the two pieces of hateful paper into his hands to examine them closer. He scanned each one in amazement and sudden urgency.

"Where did you get these?" Spencer stated without any particular tone but I could tell he was wishing that they were just a prank.

"The red note was in my locker and the letter I got from home. Carly's been kidnapped and we got to find her!" I said full of growing intensity. I then realized we should tell Freddie about what happened. Spencer blinked a few times not wanting to believe what he just heard. But he quickly grasped what was happening and got very angry.

"Someone has kidnapped Carly?! If anyone dares harm her I will give him what's coming to him! No one will ever do anything to her. Let's get going now!" Spencer said getting very mad. He loved his sister and I know he wouldn't ever let anything bad happen to her.

"I'll go get Freddie!" I drew a long sigh losing control of reality, and started up the stairs to the iCarly studio. Spencer was so consumed in his worry and for Carly's life he barely noticed my presence leave.

"Wait, Sam, Freddie's not here!" Spencer called out from the bottom of the stairs wishing to waste no more time as to hurry and start search for Carly.

"What? Then where is he? He was supposed to meet Carly and me here after school." I explained uneasy unable to say anything yet further. I felt a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach the way you do when watching a survival reality T.V. show when they are forced to eat live worms or pieces of snake meat. If Freddie was kidnapped too... I couldn't even think about it.

"He hasn't showed up at all day since I saw him and Carly leave this morning." He said strained with sadness and growing rage.

Whenever something bad happened to Carly Spencer would always be for her this I know from all his previous actions. Right now he wasn't much his awkward crazy self anymore and it couldn't be helped until we got Carly. I was a heavy sigh which I seemed to be doing more lately. Of course I was getting really worried because she was my true best friend and I wasn't going to let anything happen to her even if I had to search everywhere.

"I'll be right back, I'll go check if Freddie's at home and then we can head on our way." I announced leaving Spencer quietly alone as the weight of what was happening kept pounding on me. I was far too scared to think of anything else except for the fact that both my boyfriend and Carly were for real, kidnapped.

I knocked on the door rather loudly and persistently across from Carly's apartment. I waited for someone to look through the peephole or answer through the door but nothing happened. I stood there for a few minutes at least getting uncomfortably nervous. What if they had Freddie too? What if he wasn't home and I was just wasting more time.

Then I could hear soft cries of despair and what seemed like sorrow filled was coming closer and closer and I could hear more distinctively who it was.

Mrs. Benson slightly opened the door showing her tear stained face through the crack of which I could see. "Oh it's you.." She whispered and then started to whimper even more. She widened the crack as more tears overwhelmed her puffy bloodshot eyes.

With shock and lost hope I asked what was wrong, fearing it would be bad news. I was never one to really understand the way Mrs. Benson acted but right at this moment I understood her pain more than ever. If what I was thinking was true I was going to go insane. I needed Freddie and I needed him now in this situation. Spencer completely knew the terror but I wanted Freddie to be here as well. I didn't know if I could actually find Carly without his nerdiness that I have grown to miss.

Mrs. Benson glanced up from the fixed spot on the ground she was staring at and answered me full with deep mixed emotions, "He's gone."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**This is my first piece of FanFiction so I hope it isn't horrible. I enjoy to read the reviews and feedback and I will try my best to make the characters with the same personalities from the iCarly T.V. show. If I don't make them exactly as they are supposed to be I am sorry but I am not perfect. I do hope that I have more comments after I start making more chapters. This probably won't be a very long story but I really want you all to like it. ;)**


	3. Determination and Hope

**Hey guys! I know I'm new and this may sound cheesy, but I am so happy for all of my reviews I have gotten! No joke I have never really posted any stories (or fan fiction for that matter) on the web. It's very exciting to share with all of you what I have written and I wish so much for each and every one of you to enjoy it! Right know Sam has just realized that both Carly and Freddie are kidnapped. I hope you all stay to see it play out! Thanks a million to the followers of this story it means a lot to me!**

* * *

All of a sudden, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was feeling faint and my legs were trembling uncontrollably. My body was giving out and I was getting light headed and dizzy. This couldn't be possible.

I was not longer having a beautiful and wonderful day. Before any of this was happening I was rather happy even to go to school and that was something new, trust me it was. But it was far too good to be true. At this point I had an enemy; And that enemy took not only my best friend but also my boyfriend. I wasn't the type to burst out in tears or feel weak. I was strong and I knew it. It was something that I would show off and at times brag about, but I couldn't think of anything to do but roll up in a ball and shed a thousand tears.

Mrs. Benson trying to wipe away her continually flowing tears off her face was silently watched my sunken expression. All the raging emotions build up inside me were burning to get out. I tried to put on a brave front but it was soon to hopeless when I didn't even know where to start.

Where were they? Who took them? What's happening to them at this very moment? All these questions and tons more were fogged up my brain making me want to pass out. I couldn't take the pain that if I never found them they would be lost forever.

I thought about contacting the police numerous times but I knew they wouldn't be of any help and they would forbid me to even try to look for them. It was better if I did this alone. I had to do this alone. I wouldn't risk anyone else's safety in this matter because it was a far too dangerous task to deal with kidnappers.

Anyways, I could fight and fight good. Whoever took Carly and Freddie wouldn't even think I would have any power over the situation. They would probably tie me up in I was caught but that would only happen if I wanted it to. Then I would simply just untie my self with ease and rescue two of the most important people in my life and bring them to safety.

I was too much involved in my own thoughts to realize I had been standing in front of Mrs. Benson's door where she was still sobbing her eyes out.

"_He's gone."_

He's gone, he's gone, he's gone, starting to keep replaying in my head. I wanted to pour out all the tragedies of my soul though crystal clear tear drops. I had to act strong but no longer knew how.

I looked back at Mrs. Benson touching back within reality. "What do you mean he's gone..." I said my voice starting to crack. I hadn't responded right away but she knew exactly what I was talking about.

She stood there shivering with fear. "After school he came right home and went to his room. He said he was getting something for your guys' iCarly show tonight. I was washing the laundry and put his sterilized clothing in a basket. I carried the basket over to his room and when I opened it he was gone!" She started to say crying more than ever. "Then I looked outside through the window on the stairs, where he sometimes goes, and he wasn't there either!"

I was getting teary eyed myself. It was getting harder and harder to contain all my grief inside me. I tried to comfort her in anyway I could. I told her it was going to be alright and I was going to find him. I don't know if it did any good but I think I could hear her moaning slowly fade away to a sad heart breaking whimper.

"I will get to him no matter what it takes, I promise, alright?" I said trying to reassure her and myself. If only I could believe that it could be as simple as looking outside a window or behind a door. It wasn't and I wasn't about to fool myself into false security at a time like this.

One slow tear fell from my face. I didn't know that I would ever find him or Carly. It seemed like a helpless cause like trying to count all the stars in the sky or tempting to solve all the problems in the world at one time. I knew I wouldn't give up. Ever. But I felt horrible to think it wouldn't matter if they were already long gone.

I didn't even have one real clue. Not one hard fact to go from or to help me search for Carly and Freddie. I'd be looking without anywhere to begin. It seemed inevitable.

I slowly unglued my feet from the floor and made halfhearted steps away from Mrs. Benson's reinstated crying. She saw my silent departure and shut the door grabbing a tissue out of her pocket and blew from her swollen red nose. I felt sorry for her misery and I knew if I didn't act soon I would loose my self into the deep sorrow of despair as well. But I knew it wouldn't help rescue Carly or Freddie so I had to snap out of it quickly.

I heard her sniffles and sobbing grow quieter as she traveled deeper into her apartment building. I went to the entrance of Carly's place and opened up the half closed door. I noticed Spencer getting together some stuff that we would probably need to get them back. He snatched a few flashlights which we would use if our search turned to night I concluded and then he picked up a baseball bat. He would probably need that since he wasn't an expert with fighting skills and would be better armed.

I on the other hand went through my book bag laying on the couch and acquired my handy taser. Honestly the school already banned me from bringing it the first time they caught it with me but it's better to come prepared even to school for anything ahead. And for sure I would probably be needing it.

I stuffed it in my pocket and let out a scared sigh. I didn't mind using it, actually it could be fun sometimes, but it's the reason I might have to use it this time that frightened me.

I almost forgot that Spencer didn't know that Freddie was kidnapped also.

"Spence, Freddie isn't here either." I said in a saddened tone.

He paused from his packing of needed things and looked over toward me.

"You mean.. that.. he's also…" He tried to make out in deeper concentration and confusion.

"Yes, he is and now we have to get them both back." I blurted out as my eyes were becoming blurred.

He gave me a recognition of a sorrowful sigh. He must have not have thought that he could have been taken too.

"Alright… why is all of this happening?" He uttered desperately but not a question that was supposed to be answered. He just let it hang there for a moment then went right back to shuffling through some things in a box. A while later he was getting finished in his search for useful items but still looked inside a few extra areas.

"Let's go now," I began to say out loud even though it wasn't exactly directed to Spencer. "We better hurry."

He breathlessly nodded to me making eye contact with mine. I could tell they were through torture and so we for one time had something in common. The same goal someone might say. I guess I wasn't alone to save Freddie and Sam after all. Someone else felt the same way to protect the unprotected. Mrs. Benson also felt it too. I didn't feel just as horrible as before. I had hope.

Yes I had no idea where to start but I was going to try and right at that moment it counted. I was going to try, and try my best. It still seemed that everything was standing it our way and it basically was. It's hard to find someone when you don't know where in the world they could be. I wasn't a very optimistic person but all of a sudden, I was. It was as if there was nothing blocking my path to finding them. I cared so much about them that it helped. I can't deny I still wanted to break down and cry because it was true that I wanted to. But I had to help them and I knew I wouldn't stop until I did.

Spencer clasped the things in a bad and a couple other items. He hurriedly settled his navy blue jacket on himself and nabbed his keys from his shelf. I in turn retrieved my cellphone, as he got his, and put it in my back pocket. I flung all of the stuff out of my book bag and put it into a more accessible bag I had left at Carly's who knows when.

We both rushed out of the apartment down the stairs after I recalled that the elevator was out of order. We hopped into Spencer's used car and didn't even take the time to buckle up. Too worried to notice we pulled out of the parking lot behind the apartment building making a screeching sound on the road. I didn't know where he was heading too because we didn't have a clue yet where we should start looking. I kept silent for a few seconds but my anxiousness broke the silence quickly.

"Wait, where are we going?" I dared to speak not even looking out the window to where he was headed.

"We're gonna stop by at the Groovy smoothie first to check if T-Bo knows anything that could help us find Carly and Freddie."

I nodded and looked out the window the first time since we started out on our journey. I was now determined to find out anything I could possible about the kidnapping of them. I could tell that Spencer was too. I would risk my life for them as well as him. He needed clues though. And as soon as we found one that may lead us to Carly and Freddie, we would take it, and our quest would begin. I didn't know much about quests or anything but I knew I was just in the middle of one. I had to figure out how to get them back no matter what it took to do it.

I was ready.


	4. Clear Realization

My heart sank into my chest and we departed from the Groovy Smoothie. Nothing. There was not a single clue to help us on our investigation and it made me feel sick down to the pit of my stomach. I didn't want to image what could be happening right at the moment with Carly and Freddie. If I didn't find them soon… No it would be better not to sink into eternal bitterness just yet as we only just began our fervent search.

My insides shook as I stood outside of the Groovy Smoothie huffing sighs. I could not rid myself of this heavy heart and doubtful hope. It was a very bleak start to finding even a bit of clues. I would get to the bottom no matter what it took though. I would make sure of that.

"We better leave now." Spencer finally spoke examining my fixed position and downward eyes. I let out another more shaky sigh nodding my head faintly.

We walked to the car and carelessly bolted away from the pointless stop. All that T-Bo could offer us was 50% off tacos on a stick, not any help whatsoever.

"Spencer where are we going now?" I said anxiously which came out more as a whimpering whine then a persistent question.

He peered out his side window and stopped the car. We were parked right in front of a very familiar home, one I hadn't seen to often enough to remember whose it was. I stared at it, my eyes narrowing as my thoughts betrayed my current ones and entered into my memory of whose home this might have been. It was at the tip of my tongue but my thoughts were interrupted by Spencer and startled me.

"We better go inside and see if he knows anything as well, it couldn't hurt to check." Spencer said sounding nothing like himself and taking a glance toward the house. He left the car as I followed and we approached the front door. I hesitantly rang the doorbell as we both waited for a good two minutes. All the memories of being here once before came back to me and I finally recognized who lived here. I then saw his face come into view as he opened wide his door.

"Sup, umm.. what are you guys doing here?" Gibby said unexpecting of company. I pushed him aside and rushed into his house while Spencer entered as well after I abruptly came in without asking permission.

"Whoa, what's going on Sam?" Gibby raised his hands in the air as if surrendering to his doom. I didn't have the energy or will to roll my eyes or try to make light of the situation. I felt that if I was to say a thing it would come out in a stutter and my eyes would fill with tears. I couldn't cry now but my tough exterior was falling to pieces but I willed myself not to let go of all common sense at this point. I haven't come far enough to achieving any evidence to find my more then dear friends and I wouldn't crumbled down to ashes just yet. Just yet, just yet, just yet. I would keep repeating endlessly in my head. I wouldn't _yet_.

"Sam and Freddie have been kidnapped, we can't find any clues of who took them, how, or why and we need your help." I now sounded nothing like myself but it didn't matter any more since more and more of me was fading away. I needed Carly with all her clever charm and funny wit. Her shoulder to cry on even when I tried not to. And I needed Freddie so much. Of course it was more difficult for me to express feeling to him I did care for him a whole lot. I wasn't about to let them be gone forever.

Spencer cringed at my words as if they were the first time he heard them. He was frightened at panic for his age but though it made little difference since he usually acted so childishly and free anyway. Gibby on the other hand was at utter shock with his jaw hanging low, his mouth open as large as possible. I looked back and forth between their expressions and wished to know what they were thinking instead of having to hear my thoughts echo inside me so cold and distant.

"What-" Is all that Gibby seemed able to produce with his chin back up to where is once was. We were all silent as a rock after Gibby spoke out. No one said a word and I wouldn't dare to even try. I knew we were wasting valuable time but couldn't find a way to move. Not even an inch.

I felt like I was slipping out of reality. I could literally feel myself falling deep into something dreadful but I didn't know what. All at one moment I collapsed. It was as if my life was passing before my life and all the friendly faces that I knew just only later that day were shifted into a darkness. It all went black as I felt my head thud against the carpet floor. Seconds before I passed out my skin was on fire with the sudden contact with the rough texture of the carpet and my arms swayed with my body as I did descent to the ground. I laid sprawled across the floor without making another motion I turned to deep blissful slumber.

**Half an Hour Later**

"Oww, my head." I was stiff necked and exhausted for some reason. I quickly moved to a sitting position on the soft velvet couch I was laying on. The material felt nice against my skin but I tried to re clear my head. None of my body ached thankfully, I didn't appear to injure myself as the memory of me falling to the floor came to haunt me. I soon remembered everything. The kidnapping, my fainting, and- wait was I in Gibby's house still? Of course I was, I had only feel what I think was a while ago. I plopped back down on the comfortable couch only to turn over to the window. Good, it was barely just dark out, still not yet a star in the sky. I had to get back on my search.

I didn't take the time to stretch out my limbs, I wouldn't waste another moment if it meant the safety of my much more than friends would be at risk. No one was in the living room as they had once been when I fell. I scattered around the house in search of them. Then bad conclusions were rushing into my head. What if they were kidnapped too? What if they were long gone by now? What if-, I wasn't able to finish the thought as I most happily saw a glimpse of Spencer talking with Gibby outside the kitchen window.

They weren't in harms way. I didn't have the time to feel joy for their presence though, even if I was relieved I wouldn't have to find them all on my own. I knew I wouldn't be able to do it but I had no time to ponder on the subject, we should have been close to finding them by now.

I sighed deeply in thought and closed my eyes for a second. A river of tears wanted to burst out of my eyes at the sudden thought that if they would have been kidnapped it would have certainly been hopeless to try to save each one of them. I had to pull it together and breathed another low sigh as I opened back my eyes. They were glistening with pain and sudden hurtful misery.

I exited the house through the kitchen's detailed glass door. To think Gibby of all people would have such a fancy house with velvet soft couches and beautifully crafted glass doors. Must have been his mom, though I had only met her on occasions she still didn't seem to be the classy type. Then again I didn't know too many people who favored the most embellished and elaborate furniture not even the expensive furnishing for that matter.

I caught up with Spencer and Gibby as they circled around the house as if consumed in deep eternal thought. I wanted to run to them and tell them what I thought, but as before, that wouldn't be like me, and I was going to keep my reputation to the very end.

"Guys, why aren't we searching already!" I tried to sound anxious and slightly mad for them letting me sleep after I fainted but it didn't come out that way. I came out more confused and made my voice speak sadness and betray my strict facial expression. I almost forgot how they let me sleep for who knows how long. Putting both Carly and Freddie in jeopardy. I wouldn't let this pass now as my gloomy melancholy heart and disposition shifted to a growing anger. I didn't have time to be angry either but I couldn't help it when Carly and Freddie could be as good as dead at any moment.

They looked over to be unknowing of my fuming insides but only seeing a distrustful and sorrowful face before them. "Hey Sam, you're finally awake Gibby said." In a perfectly calm low down voice. He didn't have a hint of glumness in his tone that I could detect and I wondered why.

"Gibby what is-" I began to say staring at Gibby and back to Spencer continuous times needing an explanation for their mostly blank expressions and passive attitudes. I didn't know what to say. The display of disinterest and no yearning desire to find Carly or Freddie troubled and shocked me with great amounts.

I was opening my mouth to say something but Spencer steadily started to speak. "We got some great news Sam." He smiled widely filled with what seemed like unmistakable hope and his fear was soon vanishing from his eyes. I was at complete astonishment to think that anything could bring such good of news to him to pause his grieve for Carly's disappearance.

I stared at him waiting for his next response which made every second endlessly difficult to breathe in. "I just got an email from the kidnapper and we might have a clue to where the location Carly and Freddie are at!" Spencer finally indicated.

My heart skipped a beat and my stomach flipped and twisted unbearably. Could there really be evidence of where they were? All of the hope and determination once again set it and I could finally understand what Gibby and Spencer were so pleased about. But I had to know more.

"What do you mean- where do you think they might be? Who took them, I will get that son of a-" I said wided eyed and upset but anticipating. My voice was rising at the end of the sentence losing my self once again to anger for the kidnapper.

Gibby once again raised his hands up trying to calm me down. I came back down from my out of control state and felt the same cold despair inside me again. "Come on let's just go show you." Gibby explained what they had been doing while I was asleep as we headed back inside the house.

Apparently they picked me up after I collapsed at set me down on the nearest couch. I wanted to ask about why they let me stay asleep but he soon covered that. He said that they were going to wake me up as soon as they got me on the couch but Spencer, who was on his pear pad looking around for any reported suspicious activity, got a sudden alert of an email. He checked who it was from and noticed it was another message from the kidnapper. After that Spencer showed Gibby the note and letter I received earlier that day. Then they went to discuss further about a plan to save Carly and Sam and while being too involved in it forgot to get me up.

I cursed myself for being weak and fainting. I should have been there to read along the email and to help make the plans. I no longer cursed Spencer and Gibby for not waking me up because they were deeply thinking of a way to rescue Carly and Freddie and that's all that mattered. I was mad now only at myself and at the kidnapper but thankful nevertheless for the hope brought back to me in the form of an email. What joy knotted up my stomach as Spencer logged into his email address to let me see the email for myself.

I didn't know what to expect. Would it be of good use for me or not? Would have Gibby and Spencer only have been caught up in the moment of an email that contained no real information to go by? Surely they weren't that dense but my hopes were soon descending.

_Please don't be useless, please don't be useless_ I thought solemnly to myself. I held my breath as the page was loading on his pear pad. I crossed my fingers tightly almost cutting off their circulation of blood as I shut my eyes and hung my head down to the floor, slumping.

"Here it is!" Spencer said with excitement as I was immediately drawn to the page and lifted my head up to see it.

_I have your sister, you already know I do. I have to say, you can never find her on your own. If Sam is reading this, I must give you a warning. Alert the police and I will make sure that you will never see Carly again. I love to keep doing this. Poor Sam, probably horrified by now in worry. Well you deserve it! I do love a good game though. So here is your riddle._

_'What is red and nice and tasteful. Full of many people and little faithful. A busy place with business everywhere. That's the place the one of whom you really do care.'_

_Well there it is. Have fun failing to find it! When you do fail I will know just how dumb you are Sam! You better hope she knows what she is doing for your sisters sake._

_-You know who_

My eyes were wider than I could have thought possible. I already knew it would do no use to inform the police and made a good plan to not. This was useful after all! My heart leaped up again and again as my eyes glittered with threatening tears. I had found a way to get back both Carly and Freddie! All my distress would go away soon! It was NYC! It had to be, I knew no other large busy city that had to do with red tasteful things like that of an Apple!

"So it's New York City?" I asked clearly amazed at such a simple riddle. Not a very carefully planned out kidnapper. I knew for sure I would see Carly as bright as ever by tomorrow and Freddie in all his geeky glory! The happiness poured out of me through my grin and was mirrored by both Spencer and Gibby. Such fortune on such a day I thought for sure was never going to be happy.

"Yes." Spencer and Gibby said in unison, so unlike them but I didn't even notice it for a second! I was more happy than the time I met my first wrestler in 3rd grade and he autographed his name on a piece of jerky for me.

Then a thought came to mind, diminishing my smile from my face to leave a thin line. Now that we knew what state and city they were in, did it really all that matter? For a few glamorous seconds I had forgotten all of my senses on how to really find them. I mean, New York City was a big city full of many many many people. More than I would dare to count in a lifetime. No doubt it would be hard to get to them when we had no specific part of the city to search in. My lips then curved into a slight frown as all my hopes hopped out of my head and out of my life leaving me with an empty sad feeling for what seemed like time after time again.

I really hadn't gotten as far as I thought only moments ago. Gibby was no where to be seen. I could tell now that Spencer was examining my face as once happy grin had turned sour quickly. I looked away, clearly he didn't understand that we had barely found anything at all. Sure we had a location, but not as exact as I would wish. My dreams of seeming them soon were crushed and lifeless now. I still had faith that I would see them again but I now didn't know when that would be.

I shut my eyes allowing myself one tear to leave my right eye and slide gently down my chin onto the rough carpet below.

"We only know what city they are in, but not where in the whole city they could be." I said aloud. Spencer looked at me now getting what I had said. I opened my eyes to see him nod and was preparing to shut down his pear pad. Then another thought jumped into my head. I had to ask.

"Wait Spencer." I said as he looked back at me confused. "Let me see the kidnappers email address." He glanced back down at his pear bad and brought back up the page for me. The email address was: ruetheday .

My stomach knotted again and twisted a few more times as my eyes grew with recognition. I couldn't keep my eye off his pear pad as I hurriedly took it out of his hand and studied it over and over again more and more carefully. But it was there crystal clear and the same each time I read it. I scanned it one last time confirming that it was the kidnapper's email.

I looked back over at Spencer my eyes gaping and making eye contact with his. Mine expressed sadness, regained hope, anxiety, and understanding. His read sadness too but also suffering, confusion, and uncomprehending authority.

I stood straight not moving and uttered clearly five distinct words:

"I know who it is."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I am getting more in depth with the story and I strongly appreciate every follower of this story, you don't know how much it truly means to me. I wish you all a great weekend and I can't wait to write the next chapter in this series! If any of you are true fans of iCarly I bet you know who it is! 'Wink, wink.' ;) Goodbye for now!**


	5. To New York

Really? Of all people in the world who could be possible kidnappers; Nevel just had to be it. Nevel Papperman. I for one didn't see that coming. I didn't think him capable of such a thing. Honestly he didn't seem like the type to kidnap anybody. I know he was a evil demon child at the least and as good as Freddie, maybe better, with computers… But would he be the kind to kidnap for fun?

He very clearly gave me the location of where he was hiding, but why? I mean like what he could he have gained from this anyhow? It was so confusing to think about. Seriously! What was his motive other than that he hated us? It was all too puzzling. I don't doubt he had a purpose but what was it?

Not only did he give me his whereabouts but also let me know for sure who he was. Why would he want me to know both where he spot he was, maybe not exact but still, and that he had been the kidnapper? It wasn't a very clever plan but he had to have some reason behind it all. That much I knew. Would I be walking into a trap? I didn't get it and I didn't even know if I wanted to.

His brain as ingenious as he put it, has been defeated before. We have gone through faintly similar things before with him. This time he wasn't messing with just iCarly, but with two of the most important people in my life. I wouldn't let his devious yet dubious system of thinking interfere with the rescue of them. I wasn't about to give up when I haven't even began to start.

I was still standing in front of Spencer when I last spoke. He hadn't spoken a word after mine. He was probably waiting for me to say something or to clarify who I knew it was. The look on his face was giving off the sense that he hadn't seen the email address; therefore not knowing who the Kidnapper was. It wasn't very hard to interpret. It was the worst way to keep his identity a secret but a very effortless way to get my understanding. _Ruetheday._ Not a very hard thought out email to have. But I knew better than to think that I was smarter than him. He had to have set this up. There couldn't be any other answer. I didn't need mad computer skills or a scanning of my brain to prove I could take him. I could and I knew it.

I no longer worried for Carly and Freddie the way I had been this whole day long because now I knew they weren't in any, actual danger. He's just a teenager, no biggie. I could foil all his plans again, it wasn't all that different. And now just because I didn't fear for their lives anymore, it didn't mean I wasn't going to be angry. Super pissed off is more like it. I could fuel my ambition now on my dislike for Nevel. Not dislike, hate was a better word for this situation. He stole the best people I ever knew and ever hoped to know and for some reason I have yet to discover. Why shouldn't I be red like a tomato and fuming with raging emotions for the kid who did this to me? Caused me to think of them as dead or worse! He deserved payback. I needed to get revenge. Now all that occupied my slight sliver of worry left in me was how we were going to get to New York City. Otherwise all I could do was silently curse at him in my search to find them.

It had been at least 10 minutes since I had said anything and Spencer was still staring at me. Gibby had come back into the room from who knows where with a half eaten tuna sandwich hanging out of his mouth. It was no time to be eating and even I knew that. I shook my head closing my eyes, breaking the connect of them with Spencer's, huffing a puffy sigh.

"It's Nevel." I said all at once without a single tone in my voice that could be identified as anything less than irritation and maddening frustration. I opened back up my eye focusing them on Spencer's reaction for my previous words. All that I could see first off was a shocked expression. It soon grew into a mask of mixed emotions of doubt and exasperating fury. All the faces I wanted to make where shown on his. All I could guess was that a chaos of anger was developing deep within him while my mind was expanding in turmoil. This was pathetic.

Nevel, the little computer nerd who hacked into our web show, made us worry to death. He purposely did, he must have. No other explanation I could think of would make half the sense this was hardly making. It was, very, pathetic.

"You mean Nevel the kid who tried to steal iCarly?" Spencer had lost his cool. It wasn't much though since we were already off guard and hysterically trying to figure out a solution to the kidnapping. I nodded to Spencer while noticing Gibby's sandwich fall out of his mouth onto the floor and him ferociously bending down to pick it up.

I never thought as Spencer to be the one to pace, but that's just what he did. He swore under his breath as I only caught a few words he was saying. Gibby stood gasping at me wide-eyed and dumbfounded. I couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Alright now can we hurry up and go get Carly and Freddie!" I anxiously moved about trying to exaggerate my urgency. Gibby tossed his destroyed snack in the sink after being in his stunned position for so long. I didn't even want to ask why he put his sandwich there, sometimes it's better not to know those things. Gibby's actions never made sense anyway.

Spencer shuffled over to the door and cranked it open looking out at the darkening sky. A few stars were just now starting to appear. I looked over at the huge grandfather clock leaning against a blue floral wall and kicked myself for doing so. It was just as late as it looked outside. We had wasted enough time already. To think, I had just learned about the kidnapping after school and not too long ago if you really thought about it. But nevertheless, it felt like an eternity since then and for them it must feel the same if even possibly more.

I watched as Gibby followed Spencer asking no questions at all. For me there was thousands buzzing in my head, turning into a powerful pounding headache. I couldn't stand anymore stress but I was determined not to let go of my anger due to my exhaustion. It would have to wait a while.

I followed them out to the street, slamming noisily the front door behind me. It wasn't until we were in the car that I said something.

"So, how are we getting to New York?" I asked as solemnly as possible but my voice cracked at the end.

"We're flying." Was all that Spencer could say. He also was trying not to let out his anger and rage. He was steadily concentrating on the road as the car jolted forward. I could tell he was struggling like me and it make me feel more relaxed that I wasn't the only one. He was too serious and angered to act like himself and I understood that. It was hard for me too. I felt often lost in the gloominess of it all and had to keep holding back my thundering wrath that was fighting to come out. My tempor was boiling and my heart thumped against my chest unbearably. My hands were shaking in fists and my head wanted to explode from a pestering migraine. I was glad that I was occupying my time by looking out the window when my eyes came across Carly's apartment once again. Suddenly it was of great importance to go there before we left Seattle.

"Wait turn left!" I shouted as we were almost passing the road to the building. "But we have to-" Spencer started out only glancing back at me for a second barely recognizing my shortly contained outrage. "Just turn!" I yelled out to him.

Spencer didn't think twice about his decision and the car turned abruptly causing a shrieking sound from the tires. I sighed in my achievement and immediately swung open the car door from the back seat. Next time I was being shotgun.

Spencer arched his eyebrows in bewilderment for what seemed like the hundredth time while stepping out of the car. Gibby accompanied him as they more hobbled then walked. It actually kind of looked like a cross between a waddling duck and a wobbling penguin. We entered as calmly as possible and sneakily passed by Lewbert without him seeing us. He was too busy being Lewbert to care to look up from his grease stained crumpled up newspaper anyway. Since the elevator was still out of order we rushed up as fast as possible on the stairs.

"Okay so why were you yelling at me to come here, we have to go." Spencer spoke out trying to sound as less whiney as possible but I could tell it wasn't working. I glared behind me but wasn't about to let him suffer silence because of my bad mood.

"I have to tell Mrs. Benson that we know who took her son." I said and sighed relieved as we entered through a door to their floor. I didn't hear another word out of Spencer and Gibby wasn't about to risk saying something to me. Smart, he knew what I was like. Especially when I was mad. I picked up my feet into a jog straight up to Freddie's door. I knocked. No answer. I knocked again. Still no answer. Come on! I thought to myself and dropped my head frustrated beyond belief.

Then a yellow piece of paper under the doormat caught my eye. I stooped down to the floor and snatched in my hand. And it read:

_I'm out looking for Freddie, won't be back 'til late._

_- Mrs. Benson_

I facepalmed while stomping my foot daringly. I would just have to tell her later. I wouldn't have even half expected after seeing her weeping uncontrollably to go out and try to find him. But it was Mrs. Benson we were talking about, craziest momma bear in existence. No kidnapper, Nevel or not, in the right mind would mess with her.

Gibby and Spencer caught up with me walking in a steady pace reminding me of my racing heart rate. I then thought of an idea. It was always best to come prepared.

"Spencer give me your keys." I said scrambling over to Carly's door. Spencer was pulling them out of his pocket about to say something but I grabbed the keys fast enough to not drag on a long conversation. I unlocked the door hastily trying to bottle up my growing impatience long enough not to break down the door. I ramped into the apartment as soon as I heard the doorknob click and made a beeline to the fridge, almost stumbling on the way.

I plunged into the refrigerator searching for my item. My eyes frantically roamed around until I came across it. I got a hold of it rapidly and shut the door with a big bang. Spencer just then was coming inside but I speedily threw the keys in his hands and swerved around him and out the door. He took a double take of me and slowly shut the door behind me and himself joining Gibby out in the hall.

I finally caught my breath and proceeded to leave but was pulled back my Spencer's light grip on my arm. "Whoah, Whoah, wait a second! What's that you're holding?" He said exasperated.

I turned around nervously for no reason at all and held up the thing I so quickly took only moments ago.

"Is that a buttersock?" Spencer delivered both accusingly and confused. My face turned a bright red with astonishing embarrassment, it was no time for idiotic questions. It was also no time for stupid replies or for feeling sheepish about something I usually prided myself with.

"May-be." I uttered stretching the words a bit, staring at a point on the floor. What right did he have for frankness at a time like this?

"Oh yeah, the butter sock!" Gibby said enthusiastically, waving his fist in the air. I picked up my head and took my stare over to him. Spencer glanced as well over to Gibby. Gibby mouthed the word 'what' as he was ambushed by our stares. He whistled a tune and moved his face over in a different direction to avoid our glares.

I sighed and said awkwardly, "Okay we better go now." All the anger that had left over the brief time in the apartment building soon resurfaced. I was getting back to my old self just a while ago and so was Gibby. We couldn't be able to do that again until Freddie and Carly we safe once again. We jumped into Spencer's car and drove off once again.

I was too tired and numb and filled with anger towards Nevel to sleep. I didn't want to sleep anyway. It wasn't much of an option. I had to find them and I didn't want to rest until I did. It wasn't fair, all of this. Why couldn't that little fudge bag just leave us alone? Why did he constantly interfere with lives. He had gone too far this time as it hadn't already gone like that before. He hated Carly and wanted to ruin all of our lives because of it. I was pretty sure he hated me and Freddie just as much though.

We finally got to the airport. I was glad to find no long lines which I was too tired to be surprised about. We got through the whole routine quickly because we had no luggage with us at all. When a fancy bunned desk lady spotted my butter sock with wide eyes I just muttered to her, "Precautions". She stared at me as I swiftly went to another desk manager who I would rather talk to then the other.

It was all done fast and we paid without another thought about the high prices. I didn't have to read Spencer's mind to know he would do anything to find Carly and price didn't matter whatsoever.

I clutched my buttersock and we boarded the plane. We didn't take first class but it didn't make any difference anyway. We wouldn't want to enjoy a luxurious trip to New York City when Freddie and Carly were trapped with an evil mastermind. We would have to wait for fun times and good trips on a later date. No way was I going to relax into a calm and rational state when a maniac was holding captive the number one most important people in my life.

We found our seats close together instead of scattered about. I wasn't entirely pleased by the seating because I wanted to be upset and horrible all on my own away from any reminders of why we were here. I knew better though and made the best of it. I tried not to get out of control with my anger issues that some people called it. Who wouldn't be horrified and angry if their best friend and boyfriend got kidnapped? I was fuming with troubled thoughts.

It was now reaching midnight and I my eyes were barely open. I kept ordering coffee after coffee to stay awake but it was no use. I needed sleep and I knew I did. My eyes were drooping and Gibby was already asleep. I moved my head to the side to see Spencer looking out the opposite window to mine.

"Psst. Hey Spencer!" I whispered across the aisle, trying not to wake any of the other passengers. I wouldn't have minded it though, it the curly mustached guy seated next to me would stop snoring.

Spencer looked over in my general direction finding my face among the many others. He hadn't slept at all either, just like me. I was content that I wasn't the only one in this, half-awake-half-asleep state, but too worried and angry to actually rest.

"Huh." He said in no real question form.

"I think I'm going to try to get some sleep before we get to New York, could you wake me when we get there?" I felt actually kind of bad for asking this because I didn't know if he planned on going to sleep too but he nodded and said a short 'sure'. He turned back to the window that reflected his sorrowful eyes again. Just because it was Nevel who took them I could understand why Spencer would still be worried. I mean Nevel was pretty unpredictable and willing to do almost anything against us. I understood that Spencer was Carly's big brother and he was very protective of her. Good thing that I was too.

I silently moved my face over to my window noticing the pitch dark sky up above filled with clouds and the building down below consumed into a blur of lights. I shut my eyes casually and drifted off into a much needed sleep. I wouldn't get much more shut eye after that.

* * *

**Oh my! I've actually finished the 5th chapter! I'm sorry to all the people following this, I know it has been a whole week since I last published anything. School is almost out with 2 more weeks to go. Homework isn't leaving me alone for one second! I'm gonna try harder though. I hope you all like this one. Til next time, and I hope it's sooner than the last. ;)**


	6. A Dream, A Motel, What's Next?

**This is my newest chapter! Yay! You're probably not half as excited about it as me but I hope you get close. I love all the support and the reviews I am getting, it's really helping me with this story. I'm sorry if it's shorter than usual today but I have two tests tomorrow and I just wanted to post this next chapter as soon as possible. So here goes nothing!**

* * *

_I was running around in circles. Chuckles of laughter echoed around me filling the air with dread. My palms were sticky with sweat and my heart beat was out of control as I passed by menacing shadows. My breaths were heavy and I continued to stumble, never stopping. My feet felt on fire and my head was dizzy but I didn't pass out. Smoke was rising from unknown places as I frantically moved around in a darkened room. It kept growing more and more pitch black as I ran. I had no idea where I was at._

"_Sam!" A frightened and familiar voice shrieked from someone within the cloudy smoke. It was Carly's voice! I shuffled around wide eyed and searched helplessly around. "Carly!" I shouted out into the gloomy darkness. I couldn't see a thing. I chased around figures which only turned out to be more ominous shadows. I squinted my eyes on my continuous hunt but it only made my eyesight worsen. Everything around me became a blur. _

"_Sam!" Another terrified voice rang out. This time it wasn't Carly though. But I also immediately recognized it._

"_Freddie!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I lumbered back and forth around the room but I could see no one. As I shifted throughout the room looking for anything, the room began to shrink._

"_Where are you guys!" I yelled out in panic as I soon became claustrophobic. I was crouched down in the shallowest corner of the room wishing it would expand back to where it was. Tears filled my eyes as I couldn't get up anymore. I kept hollering for Carly and Freddie but their voices weren't heard again. _

_The room was at the point as of which I would be squished to death. Then I heard a faint whisper of my name again. It grew softer and then louder, until I could make out who it was. Spencer was calling out my name and I didn't know why. I shook my head wanting myself to go unconscious. I felt weak and bitter and unable to cope with anything. I blinked away escaping tears thinking I was going to die. I started to shake uncontrollably by some outside force. And I soon drifted out of my dream and back into reality._

I saw two blurry figures before me as I was slowly waking up. As my eyes began to focus and adjust to the new atmosphere I could make out who they were. Gibby in all his Gibby glory and Spencer with a darker expression than usual. Before I gave them a chance to speak to me I moved my eyes casually yet sleepily around the plane. Only a few people were still on.

"Sam we better go the plane has landed." Spencer said leaning down on his side with my book bag gripped inside his hand. I shifted my eyes over to my window to see it was still quite dark out. Not much of a surprise though since it took only a little over four hours to get to NYC from Seattle and we boarded the plane around midnight. I huffed a startled sigh which was thankfully undetected by either Gibby or Spencer.

I uneasily got to my feet which caused me to almost slip to the ground. I wasn't going to let that happen again. My dream had really knocked me out of sorts and I needed time to recover. I let Spencer and Gibby move ahead of me, oblivious to my distress.

My legs swayed a few times and wobbled most of the way off the plane. When Gibby saw me staggering on the way out of the airport he looked at me as if he only supposed the plane ride made me so unstable. I could sense from Spencer's momentary glance that he knew that it wasn't the plane that made me act this way. He didn't say anything about it and I was glad he didn't. I didn't feel like explaining myself at the moment anyway.

We moved outside where there was many people going places with their suitcases and luggage. The world didn't stop when one thing happened bad. It only stopped for the people in the bad situation. I felt sick to death seeing all their happy and bored faces. They looked like they didn't have a care in the world. Which would actually be the truth for some of them.

We didn't have to signal for a taxi because a nice row of yellow and black cabs lined the curb of the airport sidewalk. We quickly paid a long bearded cab driver and hopped inside the vehicle.

As soon as I got settled into the car I took a hold of my cellphone from inside my book bag but I set it back down right away. I shut my eyes and held my breath, withdrawing my hand. I wouldn't look at it. I knew I would have no messages or missed calls. The only thing missing was the wonderful presence of my two dearest friends. No way was I going to tempt myself to think maybe they had some how been recovered and they were waiting for me to call them. No. They were gone and I had to find them. That was that. There was no easy way out of this.

I didn't think twice about why there was so many cabs out at night. It was New York, they didn't need an explanation to make money at anytime of day or night. They just did what they did. I went with it and I honestly tried to my best ability to think only of the bizarre customs of any big city. It wasn't working though.

I constantly thought of what was the next step. I hadn't had too much time to yet think about where we would search once we got here. NYC was a huge city with a lot and a lot of people. One kidnapper couldn't be found that fast. I knew it wasn't going to be simple from the beginning, but I was now only realizing just how hard it would be.

We drove away from the diminishing airport and I took my stare away from my window and pointed it straight ahead. All that I could do was move forward. My brain tried to focus mainly on the road as we headed into the deeper parts of the city.

We jumped out of the taxi and gave a short tip to the cabbie as we watched him light a cigarette. It was a long agonizing hour since we finally got out of that messy car and as if we weren't tired enough. I was deadbeat and remained silent at the foot of a eery motel. It was in a desperate need of a paint job and half the windows weren't even whole. How we winded up in this part of the city I had no clue.

Gibby found a sign in one of their window and read out loud, "Welcome to Perfect Motel where all your needs are taken care of. Guaranteed." Spencer frowned at that and took a step towards it to exam the fine print. I didn't move an inch, I had no need to. I already knew this place wasn't our ideal but my mind was too filled with anxiousness to rest that I couldn't think of anything to say. We were too exhausted to look for another place to stay though so we brushed off our criticism and went inside.

I briefly noticed their decor of rusty coat hangers and green scruffy rugs. I didn't have the energy to shutter but I did on the inside. I lipped the words 'Oh my God' as I took in my surrounding. I had a million things I could say about the place but my throat felt a growing soreness preventing me from any talk.

The man at the front desk peered at us with sly beedy eyes as if we were the only people he had ever seen before. I forced myself not to roll my eyes and resisted the urge to shove my buttersock in his face.

"Hello, you all want a room?" The anything but clean cut, man asked us lifting an eyebrow. Spencer nodded warily, walking closer to him and pulling out his wallet from his back pocket. I couldn't help but look around the shabby room, and I used to think Lewbert made a mess of things! I looked disgustedly at the giant fish stapled to the wall in a frame and at every other creepy thing I could find.

"Yeah, we'd like two rooms please." Spencer said leaning on the counter of the front desk with Gibby at his side. Gibby, not surprisingly, looked around the room and ceiling from his fixed position with a strange fascination. I did roll my eyes that time. I wished I could gain more of myself but this was as much as I could handle until I found Carly and Freddie. I didn't want to waste anymore time at all.

"Alright, that will be 60 dollars." The man at the desk said with a slick tone. I wanted to shudder more than ever at this creep and even some other things which I held myself back from. Spencer hurriedly handed the man the money which he greedily snatched and stuffed into his plaid shirt pocket. "Thank you." He said sleazily with a wide spreading grin on his face. He handed Spencer the keys and Spencer in return gave a little light awkward and freaked out laugh.

Yep, that man was a total creep. As we went up the stairs I could feel his eyes boring into me. Finally I let myself shutter when he was soon out of sight. We found our rooms on the 2nd floor and happily right next to each other.

"Here's your key Sam, I'll be sharing a room with Gibby." Spencer said distracted with a distant look of deep thought displayed on his face. I didn't question why it was there because I already knew. I took the key out of his dangling hand and I swiftly unlocked the door to my room.

I left Gibby and Spencer outside in the hallway to go to their room. My room was dark inside so I flipped on the switch closest to me which turned on a dim light. I stood stunned with my key in one hand and my bookbag in my other. "What the-" I began to say but didn't feel the need to finish. I grunted and expressly showed my dislike of everything my eyes could see. The chipped white paint on the outside of the building wasn't even as hideous as the peeled and stained lemon yellow wallpaper that engulfed all four walls of my room.

I dropped my bookbag heavily to the floor relieving myself of some of the built up tension that was held tight within me. I sighed over and over again pacing the floor. I had no idea I was the person that paced but I guess I was learning something new about myself today.

After all the time worrying about what to do and how to do it, I finally got a chance to rest a bit. Of course all my anger I had was coming back and I still loathed Nevel til the end of time but it didn't make me any less tired. If I didn't sleep I wouldn't be able to find Carly or Freddie. If I would have been able to I would have searched all night long endlessly until they were safe and sound. But I knew better than that.

Without sleep I wouldn't be any closer to finding them then I was in here. Plus hunting down Nevel at night probably wasn't the smartest idea. Actually nothing was a smart idea in New York if it involved you going out into the night on the bad side of town or even on the good side for that matter. At night the world was a scary place, in a big city or a small town it was still basically the same. We wouldn't be safe and it didn't make too big of a difference if I knew how to fight or not.

If we were to have something bad happen to us at night then we might never be able to get Carly and Freddie back. That wasn't a risk I was willing to take especially when the odds were against me already.

I had to wait until it was light out. As soon as it was we would go. It would be much easier if we had daylight on our side, instead of the enemy of dark.

I then heard a grumbling sound. I was too worn out to examine what it could be right away. I wasn't so aware of everything and my headache had returned shortly. I went over to the ratty blue and white curtain separating me from my window view. I took a glimpse of the scenery outside. I expected rain, lightning, or at the most, thunder. But it was just a bleak cloudless sky with only the moon as a light in the dark. No stars appeared visible due to all the lights in the city either. I shut the curtain back up and turned away.

I heard the grumbling noise again. This time I heard more distinctly where it was coming from. It was the rumbling of my stomach. I was really hungry. I then recalled that I hadn't eaten a thing since the lunch at school which I barely even touched. I was so extremely engrossed in our investigation only Gibby actually ate anything.

I knew I shouldn't delight in eating my favorite foods right now so I didn't. Well I also didn't have a choice because Motels don't have room service. I would eat something while on the look out for Carly and Freddie. Yes, that would work out better.

I shooted my feet over the carpet underneath my feet careful not to give myself a rug burn in my haste. I first clicked off the light and than practically ran to the bed. Well I wouldn't call it running, more like a fast unsteady frolic. If people could frolic that is.

I collapsed on the bed remembering how exhausted I was and I didn't even have the stamina to take off my shoes. I pulled over my cover examining the darkness that seemed to swallow me full in a wave of alarm. I yet was troubled by my anger for Nevel and it kept overpowering my need for sleep. I tempted to feed my anger but it wouldn't help me fall asleep any quicker.

I shut my eyes and willed myself to do something I had never done before. I dried to count sheep. I knew it wasn't working when I got to twenty-one and I was too tired to remember what came next. I did my best to block out the rage building within be to get some shut eye. After a while it was getting easier and easier. My drained body won out it the end and I finally went to sleep. The last thought I had was that I hoped I wouldn't have that same dream again. My wishes were in vain.


	7. Actual Hope and a Real Clue

**Hey guys! I have finally gotten my 7th chapter done! School is out and I will be better at getting these done quicker! This one has taken extra long to finish and I hope you will like it! **

* * *

_This time I wasn't in any disclosed spaces. I was scarily floating way above the clouds. I scurried around practically freaking out. There was no ground beneath my feet and instead of horrifying black smoke, all I could see was puffy white clouds. I could barely see the sky but I could tell it was light out. My heart was racing involuntarily and it couldn't be stopped. How could this be happening?_

_I climbed on top of clouds, each second fearing I would suddenly fall right through one. I turned my head at ever whooshing sound of the wind and didn't dare to close my eyes. I kept climbing, trying to find a way out of the terror of endless clouds. I felt like I had been scaling these gigantic masses of clouds for hours but I didn't look down, only up. I didn't know which way the sun was from where I was at, and the blue sky behind the clouds could not be seen. _

"_Sam, hurry, come find us!" Two voices yelled out in unison. I moved my head behind me, unlatching my fingers from the next cloud. I started on a run in a maze of clouds, huffing every chance I got. I didn't know if I was more thankful than terrified that I wasn't tripping on each cloud I encountered. _

"_Freddie, Carly!" I screamed out into the clouds making a slight echo which scared me deeply. I was in a mountain of clouds, not inside a thick walled cave so why was there an echo? I shook my head fearing the worse for Carly and Freddie. I had to act, fast. _

_All of a sudden I heard thunder. My eyelids fluttered higher than they were, making me look wide eyed as I usually now was. Then I came to a stop as a bolt of lightning shot past me. I didn't have the ability to scream again, so I flung myself out of the way as I saw a few more lightning bolts pass my way. The thunder was booming closer and closer to me that I could barely make out the voices from Freddie and Carly shouting through the storm._

"_We're over here!" They roared in perfect crackling sync. I looked in every direction to see there faces, hoping they weren't far off. I jogged until I could not longer jog anymore. The clouds were thinking as I heard the faint whisper of falling rain. If my eyelids could go any higher than they could, then they must have. I tried to pick up my speed but I could do nothing but walk frantically. Something was blocking me but I couldn't make it out with the fear I had to control. I didn't think I was going to make it out of her alive. _

_As the clouds began to separate and grow smaller with their loss of rain, I now had no more options to think of. I twirled around wishing to move further away from the now gray clouds. I felt my feet being tugged down into a cloud, which I knew could only mean one thing. I grabbed my leg and tried desperately to yank it out of the persisting cloud. It came to no use when I was soon already waist deep in it. I sank down as only the top of my head could be noticed from my previous position. I felt suffocated inside the cloud and more scared than ever. This time I thought for sure I was going to die. What more could I take anyways? _

_I then fell straight through the bellowing cloud in one clear swoop of the ever powerful wind. I was in mid-air tumbling and lunging getting closer to the ground. I couldn't see exactly what was underneath me and I didn't even want to know. I for the first time found the strength to close my eyes tight and silently prayed for dear life. _

When I opened my eyes I was no longer in dreamland, but back in the hotel room. Well I actually never left but it can feel like that when you escape to your thoughts, and in my case your dreams. But it wasn't just a dream to me. It was a nightmare, and I never got those. The last one I had was when I tried to rest on the plane. What a terrible rest it was. And a even worse idea.

I soon became aware of more of my present surroundings, realizing I was no longer on my bed. I was sprawled on the floor with my head laying blatantly against the hard carpet floor. My pillow, still on the bed, had an indent where my head once was and was the only thing on the bed otherwise. Just inches away from my feet was my tan bed sheet and crimson red blanket tangled up and mashed together. I didn't think to get up until a half an hour later, finally clearing my head.

What a fool I was. Thinking of my own safety and too frightened to even think about Carly and Freddie. What did I have to be scared of anymore? Sure Nevel was a horrible person and a computer genius, but he wasn't a murderer. He wouldn't actually hurt either of them, it wasn't like him. Of course it wasn't like him to kidnap people either but that wasn't the point. He was capable of a lot of bad things but he wasn't an insane serial killer or something.

I got to my feet and didn't even try to return to my bed. Instead I walked over to the widow on the far side of the room, and raised the curtain with my right hand. I didn't get to really examine my view until now. All I could see, apart from the blue sky, was a narrow alley with a too-close-for-comfort wall on the other side of it. Inside the closest window to me I could see the shadow of a man in the shower behind pale shades. Luckily for me I could only see the upper part of his body starting from his chest. I let the torn up curtain fall back down to the window sill and I went over to where I dropped my book bag.

I grabbed my book bag and dumped the contents softly on the floor, kneeling down to register them closely. I picked up my dark red wallet and found that I had only a 5 dollar bill left, go figure. I rolled my eyes and then took ahold of my iPod. I didn't know why I did, so I just let it back down next to my phone. I didn't see anything else I needed, and I wished I packed an extra pair of clothes.

I had been wearing a owl based on shirt and a pair of fading navy blue skinny jeans. It wasn't very hot out and the weather was far from cold. I still would have rather worn shorts and a tank top but this wasn't half as bad anyway.

I proceeded out the door once my book bag was back into place on my left arm. I headed over towards Gibby's and Spencer's room and knocked rather loudly. I held myself back from pacing and instead tapped my foot hard on the floor relentlessly. The door was opened with a half awaken Gibby staring sleepy eyed through a thin crack of the squeaky door. I rolled my eyes pushing Gibby out of the way and going past him.

"Spencer, why aren't you up yet?" I questioned angrily. My worry had surpassed. I knew the only thing to fuel my ambition was the sweet taste of revenge, and you had to get pumped up with anger to achieve that.

"What?" Spencer groggily stretched his arms slowly, twisting and turning in his bed. He finally got up and yawned a shape of a O. "Oh sorry Sam…"

I did my all too familiar groan and walked out of their room with a pissed off look. Gibby shut the door with his own short yawn.

When were either of them going to take responsibility for once? Why did they need to act like children? I knew it was Nevel that I should be blaming for all of this, but I needed to stay as angry as possible and Nevel wasn't here.

I stayed out in the hallway and waited for Spencer and Gibby to come out. It felt like hours but as far as what my exact counted time was, it was only 5 minutes.

"Alright Sam, we're up, we're here, let's go!" Spencer said flexing his muscles as if he could take down a wrestler. Maybe not even Nevel if it came to that, which I would make sure that it would. Nothing was going to stop me from finding him and then have the victory of taking him down myself.

"Then let's go." I said trying not to sound too annoyed. I tried reduced the amount of times I rolled my eyes, but it wasn't working out so well. My whole world was at risk and if people expected me to stay calm, well, it wasn't going to happen.

"I think I should probably try to call Mrs. Benson and tell her we're in NYC." I stated without letting in any room for argument. It was a good thing none was offered because I would have met it with a tight glare and the argument would have had no chance.

Usually I wasn't the one who had to do all the, important stuff like calling someone about something that we were doing. Well you know what I mean. I didn't have the same responsibilities as I did now. Now I was the one instead of Carly, to decide the reasonable choices and what not. I even started to talk like Carly. I had to find her fast before I turned into another slightly tougher, version of her.

I pulled out my phone from inside my book bag and prepared myself for dialing. When I was face to face with the screen I pulled my head back and groaned the most pissed off groan I knew. The battery was empty, drained out, over, done with. I soon fished back into my book bag searching around, with my newly chipped nails, for my phone's charger. Nothing. I didn't even bring that. Better yet, I should have known when all I found was a wallet, buttersock, iPod, and cellphone inside of my book bag earlier.

"Whatever we'll just, tell her when we get back." I managed to say through clenched teeth. Spencer and Gibby knew better than to ask me about what had happened, better to just go with it like it is.

I was out of control, I swore if anyone got in my path I'd probably push them to the curb. I was in no mood to be messed with at a time like this. I still tried to contain my anger just a bit more because I wanted to save most of my wrath for Nevel. He deserved every ounce of my anger making him fear me more and more. And I knew he feared me, like seriously who didn't? He had a brain, he wasn't stupid.

I swerved past some strange people on my way out of the motel. I didn't, though, take the time to examine them closely enough for we were already off of what I called, our automatic schedule. The kind of schedule that just shows up when something bad goes wrong and if a moment is lost then the whole situation could very likely blow up in smoke. I didn't have time for dilly dallying.

As soon as I was outside and in front of a cab I quickly repressed my angry. I guess it was awfully unhealthy to be mad, huh? I didn't want to blow our chance at finding Carly and Freddie, because I was too angry to actually be on the look out for them. I blew in and out, like they made people do in doctor's offices, until I was completely calm. I almost got the relaxed part down too, until Spencer and Gibby came outside huffing and puffing like sorry excuses for wolves who knock down houses. I closed my eyes tightly, not allowing myself to roll my eyes.

"Can we leave now." I said with my eyes still shut and my voice rising in both annoyance and reappearing anger. I was able to get rid of that unfailing anger once we were inside of the cab. I didn't care or know where we were going, Spencer probably didn't know either. We only told the cab driver to get us far away from the motel and we promised to pay him a good tip too. He gave us a suspicious glare but then nodded and started to drive. The driver didn't talk at all to us, I guess you could call it peaceful, but I just called it super creepy.

Now that we were finally away from that nasty motel, I had time to think. It was one big city and only three of us, how would it all work out? And even worse off, three of us searching for three others. This was so not how I wanted to spend my day out of school. Of course though, I wouldn't be out of school if Carly and Freddie weren't kidnapped.

My stomach came into an agonizing knot as I felt growing worry all over again. How did these feeling keep popping up in my head? I know Nevel wasn't dangerous but I couldn't help but worry, why was that? 'Ugh', was all I thought to myself as I tried to clear my mind from anything that would distract me from finding them. It sure wasn't easy but I was soon staring outside my window, completely concentrated on nothing else but the rescuing of Carly and Freddie.

We were heading to the better side of town, or at least down town. It was still better than where we stayed the night at. I heaved a huge sigh to just get everything off my chest. I had no time to think, just look.

"See anything yet?" Gibby asked, the first thing he said anything since yesterday. It wasn't normal for him to keep quiet for so long, but nothing was what it used to be anymore.

"No." I said filled with lifeless depth. The wounds of my heart were deep and gushing, making me feel helpless and hopeless. In one short day all my world crumbled into tiny pieces and, just like Humpty Dumpty, I couldn't put it back together again. I continued to look outside and only occasionally looked up to the gigantic lumbering building and tall pointy skyscrapers. I could tell they were well crafted and it must have taken years of work to build them, so why couldn't I just find three people who were somewhere in New York City?

It couldn't be that hard, right? But the more I thought about it, the more unsure I was. 'I may never actually find them', I silently said in my mind. I wanted to cry, and kick somebody where it hurts. I was shifting through both rage and sorrow, never deciding which one I wanted to be. Fury and worry were the only words I could think of and it was getting harder and harder to see through my blurry eyes and to watch out the window with my ever constant anger.

I did it again. I said I would only think about finding Carly and Freddie and here I was worrying about _my_ world. I bowed my head in shame, which I was glad neither Spencer nor Gibby noticed. I wasn't going to cry in front of them, I had to stay strong. I should have only thought about the safety of Carly and Freddie, not me. I wasn't in their position, probably for one thing because Nevel would never take me alive, but I still had no right to think about what would happen to me without them. If anyone was supposed to worry about themselves, it should be them.

I returned my concentration over again to the window. We speedily moved past building after building and then I saw something. It was a car rental store! Other than thinking my selfish thoughts, I had also thought about what would happen if the cab driver found out what we were up to. Here was our answer! It wouldn't blend in as well as the cab because most people in New York didn't just own cars that they would drive around in. It was far too expensive for that. But renting a car was probably the better choice at this time.

"Hey fudge wad!" I shouted out to the cab driver in the front. We were at a red light and he turned his head ever so slightly but then saw the angry look which wiped off any sense of a grin on his face. Spencer and Gibby both stared at me in anticipation. I didn't give them any time to say something. "Turn the car around."

The cab driver, being a sleazy New Yorker, he gave me a hearty chuckle at my blunt statement. He then paused for a second, not noticing my growing annoyance, and then asked the most ridiculous question at a time like this.

"What's the magic word?" He chanted in a sing songy, strong accented voice. My eyes must have reflected deep irritation because his mocking laughter was growing quieter as he noticed my expression. Without breaking eye contact with the driver I reached into my bookbag, practically motionless, and pulled out my one key instrument. I brought it up to my face and took in his whole look of first confusion and then utter shock.

"Turn around, now!" I said in a rather calm tone compared to what my actions displayed. As soon as the light turned back to green we were off and he screeched to a jolting turn without a second thought. People had to learn I had a temper and no one could force me to say please, especially a New Yorker like himself.

"Um, Sam." Spencer started out trying to sound as unscared as possible. I rolled my eyes and let him continue. "Where exactly do you plan on going?"

"I plan on getting a rental car instead of riding around in a cab the rest of our, trip." I said in the lowest voice possible. Spencer nodded his head from the front, where he was seated next the cab driver. No doubt the driver was listening in on our conversations, even though he was trying to hide it. I couldn't share out loud about what we were doing but Spencer understood. Gibby, sitting beside me, only casually looked out of the left window, probably not wishing to join in the talking. He was really not like himself and that was saying something.

Since the driver was listening to what we were saying he swiftly pulled into the rental car's parking lot. Spencer paid the driver and even the tip he was promised. 'Not like he deserved it', I thought in my head. We entered inside the little red shack where a greasy haired women greeted us with a grim smile. She didn't seem very friendly but she tried to sweet talk us into seeing some of their deals.

"Now how about y'all come out back and we'll see what kind a car we can get you rented in today." She said in a raspy souther accent, motioning us with her right hand to follow her. She walked with her own kind of swagger, apparently proud of her job. She smacked her lips blowing and popping her thick pink bubble gum, showing us each and every car. It took around 20 minutes when she was finally finished I felt like she was offering us cars that we would actually buy. I didn't think to stop her until it was too late and we were in over our heads.

When we got back into the shack, Spencer quickly grasped two 10 dollar bills in his hand, handing it over to the lady. Well she'd be a lady if that's what you called an over spoken and flat out annoying brunette.

Finally we left the car rental place and were seated inside a comfortable Convertible. It looked pretty distasteful on the outside and very old, but it only added to the 'no-one-noticing-us' tactic.

When we were out on the road it wasn't as comfy as it once was when we were testing it out. It started to make the ride bumpy with every turn and we bounced a few times. I was swearing under my breaths that we wouldn't have any other problems. I tried to forget about it and pay attention to look out for Carly and Freddie.

We had no more information and haven't heard from Nevel since we were in Seattle. I still didn't know why he lead us almost straight to where he was and why he let us know his identity also. But he had to have some motive, all intelligent psycho maniacs had to have some background plan. It was only logic.

Still looking outside my window for any signs or suspicion movement, which for one thing wasn't very hard to find considering where we were, the car began to slow on us.

"Hey spence, can we go a little faster? I know we're looking for Carly and Freddie and all but going this slow isn't helping any of us." I spoke too distracted to keep up with my own words. I was startled when he answered back.

"I'm trying to Sam, I don't know what's wrong with this car." He said with both hands steadily on the wheel. He was having a tough time with it but I had no idea what was happening to the car. I sure wasn't going to major in mechanics some day.

The car came to a sudden halt. We were no longer on the main road but instead inside the center of a neighborhood. I didn't have time to deal with setbacks and this may have really been one.

"Whoa, what just happened?" Gibby let out for the first time participating in any conversation in a long time. I didn't bother to glance at him or look over the Spencer. I fumbled with my buckle and with a frustrated sigh I got it unhooked. I came out into the sun of the afternoon and in front of the car. It was fuming with puffs of dark smoke, reminding me of my terrifying dream. I shuddered at the memory and turned away thinking of returning to the car but stopped dead in my tracks.

Something at the edge of my shoelaces was making a scratching noise against the cracked cement of the sidewalk. I bent my head down towards the curb where I heard the clanking sound. At the bottom of my feet was a tiny canister, still half way full with light pink sparkly lip gloss. I had a thought pop up in the back of my mind causing me a momentary headache, but also a lot of fear.

I knew who's lip gloss this was. The label read 'Made in Germany'. I also soon recognized the company that made it. It was Carly's lip gloss. The same lip gloss she put on at the beginning of school the day before! My head was spinning in agonizing circles making me stumble to the ground. I picked it up carefully and examined it more closely to make sure I was right. And I was.

I remembered Carly's dad sending her a box of cosmetics, from his trip to Germany, for her birthday. She was pretty sad when she thought about her dad not being with her on her special day but was still touched and consoled by his gift. I also remembered me giving her a pair of used sunglasses that belonged to my mom, but when I gave it to her I left that part out. Her birthday wasn't actually that long ago and she still had some makeup left that she would constantly use. I guessed I memorized the company by now. And this was it.

This company also never sold any of it's products in America from what I heard Carly say. And now that it was right in front of me and probably one of the only lip glosses in America from that company, it just had to be hers. Right? I had to give it a shot and I knew it was still a long one but it just had to work.

I entered back in the car right next to Spencer who was at the wheel. He had his head back in a bad posture and was groaning in frustration. I guessed he was still thinking about what he was going to do with the car. He pushed in the key several times, trying to start it back up, and failing at every attempt. I also noticed that Gibby had just left the car and was searching through a toolbox, that came with the rented car, inside of the trunk.

I poked Spencer hard on the chest to look at me. He turned his head with a worried look that I could tell was for Carly. I beckoned for his hand which he offered after considering what might be the consequences, judging on who I was. I dropped the lip gloss delicately in his hand and shut his fingers over it. Spencer's worried eyes were masked by confused ones, as he studied the object given to him.

"Why did you give me lip gloss, Sam? Don't tell me you want me to wear it!" He asked and stated wearily with a hint of whine in his voice. He was strained out and was tired of always being confused, or at least that is what I could see by his eyes. You could tell a lot about a person by his eyes and I learned that, every time I inspected someone's. I was trying out the method of pausing-for-dramatic-effect, but learned shortly after that it only pissed people off more than leave them gripping their seats.

"Of course I don't want you to wear it! It's Carly's." I blurted out exasperated and rubbing my temples. I sighed, so much for 'dramatic effect'. Suspense was way too over rated anyway.

"What?!" Was all that Spencer could produce. His shocked expression and hopeful eyes were pouring into mine. I looked away, I wasn't as shocked as him and I was way beyond hopeful. I was ecstatic! I tried hard to dampen my hope a bit, just in case the lip gloss happened to not be Carly's, but I had no such luck. I was head over heels happy and full of never ending hope.

I chose not to show it because I didn't know if I should get up Spencer's hopes as well. Unfortunately, he was already lost in the deepest amount of hope possible, and I myself was sinking fast. I now had only one thing on my mind, finding Carly and Freddie.

I snatched the lip gloss out of his hands and he only looked longingly at it as if it was everything to him. I knew the feeling. It was the first sign of _their_ whereabouts and I had to deal with it with care.

"And it's our first clue." I said grinning widely staring at the lip gloss in my hand. It was our first clue and this time, this clue was going to help.


	8. Never Give Up

"Don't give up, we'll find them." Spencer said with enlightening optimism.

I didn't have the energy to challenge his confidence and I didn't think I would have done it anyway. He was so stunned and then happy when I found the lip gloss, that it filled him with so much hope.

"So you really have no doubts that we will find them, here?" Gibby questioned, lifting his hands up, pointing at our surroundings and moving his head in every direction. He took the words right out of my mouth.

We had been searching for about four hours since we had left the smoking car with our bursting ambition. We were looking in the neighborhood for any signs or hints that Carly and Freddie had been there. My opinion on the situation, after around the third hour, had fallen down to desperation that we would even find a trace of them. As of this point, I viewed myself as the person that saw the glass as half empty.

Spencer, who had a ghost of a smile on his face, paused for a second in his steady walking. "I have some doubts about how well Nevel thought his plan out." He started a light chuckle and continued on his walk with Gibby and me not too far behind him.

I smiled softly to myself, when we would find Nevel he would pay greatly. The new rush of my own type of vengeance put me into overdrive. It was around noon now, and we were at the edge of the neighborhood's boundaries. We had combed through every bit and piece around us that we were so confused about what would happen next.

As we crossed the busy street, that separated the neighborhood from a gas station and small New York diner across the road, I felt a sudden weakening in my bones. My feet ached and my head had a throbbing pain, which had been happening lately now. I couldn't even think clearly.

By being so consumed in all the excitement of the lip gloss clue, I entirely forgot about the undying hunger I felt just the other night. I wanted to speak out so badly as we jay walked, unsafely, to the sidewalk near a strip mall of nail salons and hair boutiques, right by the diner. I was relieved to hear Gibby say, again, exactly what I was thinking.

"We should probably eat before we go out looking again." Gibby stated, making all my attention focus upon Spencer's response.

"Yep, I guess so. I'm starved anyway." Spencer said, probably anticipating a bite to eat.

My stomach cringed inwardly as we made our way over to the _All Out Diner. _Since we were downtown, one could not always know what kind of service to expect. It could be kind of creepy and life threatening or a four star eating experience. Frankly I don't think even Spencer cared which one this would turn out to be.

Fortunately it looked pretty ok on the outside and the inside complimented it nicely. Window drapes with splashes of different shades of red and a small round welcome mat, were the first things we noticed while coming in. There were five square tables, only two occupied, and all covered in wrinkled, but decent, table cloths. I guess it was in between the horror of New York and the grace of the more wealthy society.

Gibby picked out the table next to the left side window, which was also the one farthest away from the rest of the tables. Spencer went to order some food, I went with him to make sure he bought some meat.

I didn't mind eating now, because I knew better than to starve myself just because you know who and the other you know who, were kidnapped. They probably were better off with their conditions then we were at the moment. Also, if I didn't eat I was sure to pass out from either lack of food or black out from dehydration.

Gibby was sweating like a pig in the sun and I was exhausted like I hate worked in a field for days. Spencer, on the other hand, didn't seem to be tired at all. I guess optimism does do the body good. All that I knew, though, was that we had to eat fast and then be on our way. If anything the food is only giving us more energy to find Nevel, and that is what we needed.

Spencer and I came back with old fashion hamburgers and lightly salted, and burnt, fries. I took a big bite out of my burger first off and did my best not to stick a hand full of fries, no matter how burnt, into my mouth. Gibby and Spencer were staring at me with their mouths opened wide, holding their own burgers inches away from their faces. By the look they were giving me I guessed that I probably looked like a kid who hadn't eaten for weeks.

I ignored their stares and continued on my own habits and eating ways. They lowered their eyes off we in less than a second and digged into their own food.

When we were done eating, or more like stuffing our faces, I just sat back day dreaming about burgers and trying to keep my mind off of Carly and Freddie for at least a few minutes. I turned my head to the window and hear sirens in the background as I watched cop cars zoom by tailing an armed truck.

"I love New York!" I said, giggling at how New York City ran the way it did. Gibby laughed after me but I noticed that Spencer had his eyes fixed on something. He had Carly's lip gloss in his hand again and he didn't move his attention to me or the outside everyday chaos.

I wasn't very good at comforting so when I tried to do it with Spencer it came out more weird than soothing. I awkwardly placed my hand on his shoulder. He wasn't really paying any attention to me but I could feel him tense. I guess he wasn't someone who liked to talk about his feeling either.

"Um, it's going to be alright. We'll find Carly and, she'll be safe in no time. Ok?" I said calmly but shakily, faltering in about every word that dared to come out of my mouth.

He nodded and I quickly took my hand off his shoulder, sighing like I had done something very difficult. I then stood up from my seat and pushed in my chair, swinging my book bag onto the table.

"So here's what we're going to do." I started out, forming a plan in my head. "We're going to go back out there, search the neighborhood again for that kidnapping douche bag, and then…" I said full of rage. I pulled out my buttersock and swung it up in the air. "We're gonna give him what's coming to him!"

Gibby clapped and Spencer smiled wildly getting out of his chair. I was now standing on my chair and the whole diner was looking at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was, but I honestly didn't care at this point when we were so close to finding them. I got off the chair noticing that the manager of the place was coming over. I set my mind not to cause any trouble so I wouldn't have to deal with the police just yet.

"Hey, what you doin' shouting about in here!" The manager questioned groggily with a broom in his right hand. I rolled my eyes at him, grabbed my bag off the table, put my buttersock back inside, and then bolted outside of the diner choking on my own laughter.

Gibby and Spencer both followed me fastly watched their backs for the psycho manager who was trying to beat them with the broom.

"Well you sure shouldn't have left a tip for that service." Gibby scoffed. Spencer mumbled something under his breath which I couldn't hear. I was tempted to run back in there and steal the tip but I didn't think I'd like New York's juvie as much as Seattle's. So I thought differently about doing something I could get arrested for.

My eyes must have reflected bounds of energy because every ounce in my being was feeling stronger than ever. I flexed my arms and I jogged past the buzzing traffic of cars, jaywalking again. I was back inside the neighborhood with Spencer and Gibby waiting patiently for the walk sign on the crosswalk a few yards away.

I shifted my weight around on one side of my body to the other, waiting while Gibby and Spencer took their own sweet time. I tried whistling a tune while I waited but soon gave up when I was way off pitch. I growled with annoyance and turned my head to see what was taking them so long. Apparently they were stuck in the middle of a tragic jam, with a few smashed cars, and they had no way of getting to this side of the street for awhile.

I stumbled to the ground when I was practically hit by what seemed to be a deranged person darting past me. It felt like a blow to the head but nevertheless, I relieved from it in a few seconds at most. I could see a blurred figure, like from my dreams, sprinting around the corner of a house at the end of one of the blocks. My eyes settled back to normal and I soon was able to follow the form.

I saw it enter a broken down house and got only a small glance at the back of the mysterious person. It had brown long hair half way combed. The person shut the door with a loud bang and the screen door on the outside moved back and forth through the door.

I didn't know what it was but I had to find out. "I need a closer look." I whispered to myself, scampering to the little picket fence that was poorly surrounding the house.

I jumped the fence instead of using the gate door and made my way to one of the many windows it had. The blinds were down so I couldn't see a thing inside. I put my ear above the window seal but I didn't hear anything either. I groaned slamming my hand against the wooden outline of the house.

I eased my way over to side door setting my bookbag carelessly on the unhealthy grass. Then I heard footsteps coming my way and a bush move. I turned away from the door pressing my back against it. The footsteps got louder and I scrambled off the door frame and onto the dirt floor. I thought to grab my buttersock but found a hammer on the ground a few feet away from my bag. I staggered towards it and held it firmly in my hand.

A tree's leaves were shaking as two forms from behind it moved a branch, coming nearer to the house. I grasped the hammer tighter anticipating an attack. As the two people moved away from the tree I got in my fighting position. They were emerging from the shadows they had been in and I was ready to hit each one on the head if it came to that.

"Woah, Sam! Put that thing down!" Gibby said, now fully out of the shadows with his hands up like last time. I got into way too many of these compromising situations that all I could say about them is 'deja vu'. Spencer also had his hands up in defense as they both walked over to me.

I huffed an exasperated sigh and put down the hammer, shutting my eyes. "Seriously! You guys could have given me a heartattack!" I said in the most serious voice I could use.

"I thought fighting was like your specialty." Gibby said laughing at me, not with me. I shot him a death glare which he deflected off himself, still snickering.

"Well it will be if you laugh at me again." I said, really annoyed. Gibby stopped laughing immediately. Spencer could probably sense that this conversation had become uncomfortable and tried to rescue Gibby from the awkwardness.

"So anyway, why are you over here Sam?" Spencer said, trying to change the subject. I rolled my eyes, which I was now getting tired of but used to.

"I need to check out what is in this house, a person ran in here not too long ago, and she or he just might be the next step to finding Carly and Freddie." I explained, now throwing the hammer away from us.

"You can't be serious. This is a pretty wrecked up house we're talking about here. It's probably just some psycho's hang out or something." Gibby said, not believing that I had found any clues to do with what we were here for.

"I don't care what you think, you could be wrong. This is the neighborhood we found Carly's lip gloss in, you cheeseball! Anything we find could be a clue." I told him straight up, frowning.

"I could also be right. Just because you found a girl's lip gloss around here doesn't mean anything. It's probably not even Carly's." Gibby protested. "We've already looked through this whole place and we haven't found any other evidence that they could be here. We should be looking somewhere else or call the police." He finished off, trying his hardest, it seemed, to defy me.

"You are in possible! They don't even sell that kind of lip gloss in America, so practically no American citizen has any! Also we can't call the police, do you not remember the email? I don't know how Nevel would know if we called them or not but I'm not taking any chances." I pointed out, standing up for my gut feeling. Spencer was casually leaning back on the house watching us quaral like two stubborn politicians. Or like two cranky foreigners, but both worked in this case.

Gibby was about to shoot me back something in defiance but was, not so rudely, interrupted by Spencer. "We're going in." He said in a very calm manner. Gibby and me both brought our attention to Spencer, who had been quiet through most of our arguing. "What-" Gibby began but I, rudely, cut him off.

"I was going in with or without either of you, anyways." I snapped at Spencer. He didn't seem to mind my arrogance and neither did I right now.

I had suppressed so much of my anger that I couldn't help but use my words in the harshest way possible. When I would get my hands on Nevel, mercy wasn't going to be an option. I shook my head to not think such dark thoughts but still felt my fists tense up a bit. I kept them bound to my sides until I could control it better and then I shrugged it off with a shaky sigh.

"If you two are going to break in with me please feel free to help me find something I can use for a substitute key." I said, calming down a bit.

"Wait we're breaking in?" Spencer said, and I didn't even need to look at him to know he was gasping at what I said.

"Figures." Gibby said, quietly giggling. I shot daggers at him through my intense stare but he was still unmoved. The anger began to grow again.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I said through clenched teeth, now lowering my body to the ground to look for a paperclip or something to be able to fit into the key lock.

"Nothing. It's just that you always seem to do things to get yourself in jail." Gibby stated, aiming his eyes to the sky, with his hands in his pocket, tipping back and forth on his toes.

"Just help me get something that can be useful to open this freakin' door!" I shouted out to Gibby, while I was still shooting him angry stares. Spencer hesitantly dropped to the ground to help, even though I knew what he thought about my idea. Gibby shook his head and did one last mocking cackle. It actually sounded more like a scorning guffaw, but I hardly ever used words like that so I stuck with the first one.

Since the house was really old and abandoned looking, their was a lot of junk outside and around it. Tons of trash like shiny candybar wrappers, see through milk jugs, and empty rusty cans of tomato soup and gravy.

I searched through a pile of wrenches and screws, where I had found the hammer. Gibby, probably thinking of other things to ridicule me with, was shuffling through a heap of wadded up papers and used cardboard boxes. Spencer, who for sure didn't want to break in, was stiffly moving around sorts of doohickies and thingamabobs, that were scattered around everywhere.

I had come up with nothing surprisingly and by the looks of it, neither did Gibby. I chuckled to myself at his defeat and grinned devilishly. Gibby had given up and so had I. 'This is so hopeless!' I thought to myself. My grin disappeared and I frowned deeply. Spencer, still not losing hope, was still exploring through his whatchamacallits. I lowered my head and focused my eyes on the surface of the ground.

"Hey Sam, I think I found something that will work!" Spencer announced with glee. I lifted my head to see his eyes spark with the same hope he had when I showed him the lip gloss. "I told you guys not to lose hope." He insisted with enthusiasm. He put the thing he found in my hand. They were bobby pins, something I knew how to use to open locks.

"Now how are we going to get that to open that." Gibby said, pointed to the bobby pins and then to the side door. That entire day he just was always being the one to use pessimism. I of course was guilty for doing that as well. I took the two bobby pins into my hands and kneeled in front of the door.

"Just let momma work her magic." I replied, smirking. Honestly people just needed to understand that I could do things that they, just couldn't.

"So you know how to pick a lock?" Spencer questioned, he didn't actually seem too shocked, which is a good thing.

"Does that surprise you? It's Sam." Gibby declared with a malicious tone in his voice. He just made me so… well, you know.

"I think that question was for me. And yes, I do." I withdrew with present annoyance. I put my hand up in front of Gibby's face, momentarily, to silence him while I tried to finish picking the lock. I moved my hands carefully and precisely, putting all of effort into those little bobby pins. In a short five minutes I heard a click come from the knob on the door and then I knew it had worked.

"We're in." I said, smirking for the second time, but this time they could see it. I bowed to Gibby and Spencer, practically rubbing my success in their faces. I turned to the door, sighing. I reached for the doorknob in slowmo. Spencer and Gibby were just staring at me in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Gibby said, puzzled, and wasn't even trying to mock me.

I shrugged and turned around to them both. "It's for dramatic effect nimrod." I indicated, smiling innocently like an angel, that I wouldn't have been surprised if a halo showed up.

"Just open the door." Gibby said rolling his eyes. I rolled my eyes as well and placed my hand on the door knob, turning it in response. As I opened the door I noticed it was the entrance to the house's livingroom.

The place was furnished in ugly rug styled patterns and freaky sculptures of cats. It was seriously the most freakiest and spookiest place I had ever been in. As I entered in it more completely I motioned with my left manicured hand for them to follow. I tiptoed on the carpet, thankful that it wasn't a floor board. The carpet was dark and stained with variations of colors that intrigued me to know what caused them. I then thought better about it and no longer wanted to know where they came from.

"Where are they?" I asked, looking around the room suspiciously with my eyes narrowing.

"Where are who?" Gibby said, standing by a yellow glowing cat lamp and picking up a statue of a black and white kitten.

"The people who live here, stupid!" I groaned, super frustrated. "Like the person who I saw run into here moments ago. And don't touch anything!"

"How do you know anyone is even in here. You may have been hallucinating after that big hamburger of yours." Gibby mentioned after me. He had been pissing me off since Freddie and I had started dating and it still doesn't even stop when trying to save Freddie and Carly from a kidnapping.

"It wasn't an hallucination, you lunatic! I did see someone come in here and I'm going to get to the bottom of this." I expressed without giving him anymore room for argument. "Let's split up and look around."

Gibby was ordered by Spencer to stay in the livingroom and, well I guess, search for clues that could help us find Freddie and Carly. Spencer himself went into the dining room and bathroom to find something, anything. I took what was left, the kitchen.

It was a big mess, bigger than the one that was usually at my house. There were dirty dishes stacked up in stacks that looked as if they would fall at any moment. The floor was the only thing untouched and perfectly clean. The walls even had traces of rotten food and the pantry was cluttered in outdated boxes of food. Don't even get me started on the fridge, it had no electricity and little food inside of it already spoiled through.

No matter what the mess, I looked through it's entirety, finding nothing through the whole deal. I wanted to give up, again. I felt useless and weak and just plain pitiful. I had failed for the last time and I was running out of chances. Gibby and Spencer probably hadn't found anything yet and I feared they would never. Maybe I was hallucinating. Maybe I was as crazy as the people in the diner thought I was.

I probably hadn't even witnessed a person whooshing past me to this house. I was a fool to think, that just because I could act tough, meant that I could do this on my own. Yes, Gibby and Spencer were here with me but they weren't much of a help if I had to be truthful. They had done some things but overall they seemed to depend on me more than themselves to find Carly and Freddie.

I didn't like the whole, me-being-the-leader idea. Odds are Gibby probably didn't either but he wasn't doing anything about it. And neither was Spencer and he may not have noticed but i constantly was the one leading the way. I have been making a whole lot of decisions and they are also helping to enforce them.

I didn't really want all the credit because the whole thing was a failure. Hope lost, end of story. I had no more reasons to keep this up. I had no more reasons for anything. They deserved someone who could find them faster than me.

No matter how hard I tried to be the brave one, I chickened out in the end. I didn't have the guts to move forward. I didn't have the courage to get them back. I didn't have the brains to help them out of the situation they were in.

My eyes were full of shame and my heart was heavy with worry about what would happen to them. If I had lost all hope then what was I to do? Nothing I guess. Maybe they'll make it out just fine. All I knew it wouldn't have anything to do with me. Giving up on hope was my last choice, no longer a decision. At least it felt that way to me.

Then I heard it. I heard a sound. I didn't know, at first, what kind of sound it was but I had to find out. And it was coming from somewhere in the kitchen. But more importantly, it was coming from behind a big wooden shelf. I wanted to move it fast and in a hurry, but even a hopeless person isn't dumb.

"Spencer! Gibby!" I called out, not too loudly, into the medium sized, but not empty, house. They quickly filtered into the kitchen wondering what I found. "Here it is!" I exclaimed with my hands in the air, pointed at the long shelf that stretched from the bottom of the floor to the top of the wall but was not attached to it.

"What is it Sam?" Spencer muttered, confused again. I was tired of their constant questioning of everything I did. "It's a shelf." I uttered annoyed, like I had to always explain everything to them both.

"Well I know that, but I mean why are you showing it to us." Spencer stated yawned as if what I had was no news. He wouldn't have been yawning if he had heard what I heard.

"Just move it, ok?" I mumbled, loud enough so they could hear what I was saying. Spencer, without a question, got right to it. Gibby and I had to immediately assist him because he was never going to be able to move this by himself.

We all grunted and pushed with all of our might. After under a minute we had finally moved it away from that part of the wall to reveal a door. There was no door knob on it which confused us all very much. I reached out to the door to realize it also wouldn't push open. I soon came to comprehend that it must not have even had any hinges.

"Is this even a door?" Gibby questioned to no particular person, examining the 'so called door'.

"How should I know." I said, not feeding my anger anymore than it had been. I was too curious about what was behind the door and if it had anything to do with our dilemma to challenge everything that Gibby said.

"Well I guess I'll break it down then." I said unamused by any of this. If there were sounds down there, behind that hidden weird door, then I just naturally had to know what the noise was. I moved past both Gibby and Spencer filing back into the living room. I got in there and went out the door for a second. I returned with the hammer I used threaten Spencer and Gibby with before I knew it was them.

"Well here goes nothing!" I shrugged my shoulders and then lifted up the hammer, aiming it at the door. Spencer was about to object to this and Gibby seemed fine with it. I took a swing at it a few times until I could get a big enough hole to knock the whole door down. Amazingly the sounds continued even after I finished hammering it down. I still didn't doubt it was people down there because I could now hear three voices somewhat clearly.

The door, or whatever you called it, hid only a staircase to what must have been the house's basement. The staircase was consumed around by two walls the whole way down as far as I could see. The voices were still mostly unclear and faint. I decided to go down the stairs without discussing with either of my _partners_.

Gibby seemed unwilling to come with me but followed me anyway after pausing for a brief moment. Spencer, too excited to see Carly again, wasn't reluctant at all to be right behind me. When Gibby was about to say something I put my pointer finger to my mouth to shut him up. Whoever was down there, probably wasn't expecting company. It was best to be quiet until we found out what was up with the whole, keep-yourself-in-the-creepy-hidden-basement, stunt.

Once we were all safely at the bottom of the stairs, there was an opening to a hallway. The basement at first glance looked gigant and hand many rooms. I couldn't get over the fact that we weren't even in a fancy neighborhood and who could afford to keep this place in this part of town. It wasn't either the really poor side of town or the wealthy. It wasn't actually even for the mildly rich people. New York was confusing so I tried to not give the matter much thought. Anyways, room size wasn't the reason we came here in the first place.

The voices had grew louder as we were on the staircase but they had ceased as we came into the rather large hallway. We tried a few doors but all were locked and we left the bobby pins inside the side door's knob. Spencer was still showing off confidence and hope as always, which now made me real angry because I couldn't come off like that to anyone. Gibby had shoulders slumped and arms crossed, probably thinking that this was a wild goose chase and we shouldn't even be here. I felt so tempted to agree with him but I urged myself to not give up, just yet.

Then I heard a laugh, a creepy and overly done laugh but still a laugh. I even recognized it too. Gibby was looking in the opposite way I was, gaping at something behind me. Spencer was doing the same thing, they both seemed at a loss for words. Gibby uncrossed his arms and slowly moved his feet back. Spencer was frozen in place and only kept his mouth open, unable to form any words in his mouth.

I shivered as the laugh increased. I had heard it before, but where? And who? Sam the person who wasn't afraid of anything, or at least wasn't able to admit that she might have been, was too scared to move. To even face who was behind her. I knew that Spencer and Gibby were going to be no help but I didn't know what else to do or who else to turn to. The person I didn't want to turn to was the one in the back of me.

"It's nice to see you again, Sam." The voice said which oddly enough no longer scared me. It all clicked back into place and I could tell who it was. I was afraid, but why? What was there to be afraid of anymore! Nothing, that's what! I resisted smiling until I was sure who it was because I was still a bit uneasy about it all. I turned and in one flash saw who it was. And it wasn't Nevel. But I knew now that it couldn't have been. I knew who it was, as clear as crystal.

"It's you."

* * *

**Well, do you know who it is? You can leave it in the comment section if you'd like! I loved doing this and to have the support I have! I know it took a while and it took longer than expected, but this was the longest chapter I have made so far (even longer than the last) and I hope that it makes up for the delay it took to publish this! See you next chapter readers! :)**


End file.
